Unity of Understanding Among Church Leaders

President Joseph F. Smith remarked: "There is no necessity for me to bear my testimony to every word and sentiment that has been expressed this morning by President Charles W. Penrose, for the simple reason that every Latter-day Saint in this audience knows, by the testimony of the Spirit of God, that he has taught us the Truth as the Lord has revealed it, and the standard doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from which there can be no variation in righteousness. And I simply wanted to give expression to this fact, for it is true. I thank the Lord for such men as President Penrose and others we have, who have made a life study of the principles and ordinances of the gospel, the order of the priesthood, the rights of the members of the Church, and the order of government therein, and who are enabled by the blessings of the Lord, to express themselves freely and to convey these principles in such unmistakable clearness to the understanding of the people. I feel very grateful this morning for all that we have heard, and again, although there is no necessity for it, I bear my testimony without reserve to the truths that have been uttered here today. Not only so, but I also endorse and bear testimony to the sincerity and earnestness of those who have spoken, and to the most excellent spirit that has been manifested during our entire conference; by the presidents of the missions, and by a few of the presidents of the stakes of Zion who have spoken to us. I would be glad if we had time to listen to those of the sixty-four presidents of the stakes of Zion, who are present in this conference. I would be delighted to have all the people hear the testimony of these men, to whom is entrusted by the Church and by the inspiration of the Almighty, the responsibility of presiding in the household of faith. They are men of truth, of honor, of virtue, and of uprightness; men who enjoy inspiration from God, men who exercise the privileges that belong to their office and calling, and can speak, as the Lord inspires them to speak, the truth to the people, and we pray that the people will give heed to their teachings and uphold and sustain them in their callings. The Lord bless the presiding officers of the Church throughout all the organized stakes of Zion, and throughout all the missions of the world, is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen." ¶

A soprano solo, entitled "The Holy Temple," was sung by Sister Delia Daynes Hills; words by Sister Mary F. Kelly, and music by Prof. Joseph J. Daynes. ¶

We have all very greatly rejoiced in the experiences of this conference, in the "feast of fat things" that has been set before us in such variety, and especially in the counsels of the President. I may say that the presidents of the stakes and missions to whom we have listened, have the same testimony that has been borne by President Smith in our hearing. Every Latter-day Saint recognizes the voice of the Lord. We have been most thoroughly instructed, and have witnessed the fact that the brethren who preside over the various departments of the Church in the stakes and missions, so far as we have had time to hear them, have the same spirit, the same understanding and clear comprehension of the revelations of the Lord in these last days. The brethren are here in great numbers, representative brethren of the Church, from the missions, stakes, and wards of Zion, choice men, men who have had extensive experience, and if we had the time to hear from all these brethren, we would be astonished to discover what there is in their hearts, how thoroughly they are established in the truth. ¶

I was particularly impressed with the opening remarks of the President. I believe we recognize the fact that it was an occasion of renewing to the understanding of Latter-day Saints, in an impressive manner, the order, the law and discipline of the Lord in His Church, and the responsibilities that abide with the quorums of the Priesthood and with the officials in all the associations and organizations of the Church at home and abroad. We have been reminded not only of the order and records so important to be kept in the Church, and in the various departments thereof, not only the strict and careful preparation that the Lord has made in the organization of His Church for the official care of His work in the earth, but there is brought to our attention, also the individual responsibilities that rest upon every member of the Church, that rest upon every father and mother, and the requirements that are made of children to honor their parents, and thus honor the Lord. Our chief parent is our Father who is in Heaven, and in honoring our parents on the earth we honor our Heavenly Father. I know of no better way for us to honor God than by honoring those who have brought us into this world, to love our fathers and our mothers, to love the Lord, and to be found performing perfectly, as far as possible, the requirements that are made of us. I believe that the time is opportune for the Church to take an advanced step or position in the ministry, and in taking care of the various departments of the Church of Christ in the earth in advance of anything that we have experienced in the past. ¶

I desire to impress upon the minds of my brethren who are entrusted with responsible positions, whether in stakes or wards, or quorums or other organizations, at home and in missions abroad, the necessity of our performing most faithfully and zealously the duties that devolve upon us, and that we do not wait upon somebody else, and trust to somebody else to do what is required of us individually. Parents should thoroughly instruct their children, that our posterity may look back to us as having done our duty by them; also that our neighbors may discover that we have been good to them, and assisted them upon the principles demonstrated so nicely here by the president of a stake, referring to a brother that he had found delinquent, a man who had been true, trusty and faithful in the ministry, but had grown cold and become something of a back-slider. His brother discovered his trouble, and wisely undertook the labor to improve him, reform him, and restore him to his former desirable condition. Now that is not only the duty of that president of the stake, but every other president, and not only presidents of stakes, but bishops of wards and counselors and high counselors, high priests and seventies, and it is the duty of parents with their children. It is the duty of brethren with their brothers, until the full purpose of God is performed in giving attention to his people. ¶

It is a marvelous work, a marvelous organization that is established by the Lord to accomplish the salvation of the children of men, and it is all necessary. There has been nothing required by the Lord through his servants that was not necessary, and that was not indispensible, — everything that is necessary for our salvation is indispensible. We must not forsake the way of life and salvation that is marked out for us. Hence, I desire to impress upon my brethren and sisters present today, as has been so beautifully done by our file leaders, and by the other brethren whose voices we have listened to, that we shall do better in the future, in fact, that we shall do right in the future, and that we shall not do any wrong; that we shall not neglect our duties, but remember them and perform them to the satisfaction of the Lord, and His Spirit will guide us, for every man in every place and position in this Church is entitled to the inspiration of the Lord in the responsibilities that rest upon him. ¶

The responsibility rests upon those who preside over us to care for, instruct, prompt, assist and direct us in our labors and ministry. The bishops of wards, and presidents of stakes, should take care of the responsibility that rests upon each of them, so that every person that needs their attention may receive it. It is the sick that need the physician, and these brethren are our spiritual physicians. I have a physician of that kind in the ward where I live, a bishop, and he always keeps a careful eye on me, he knows pretty well where I am and what I am doing. Every man in the Church is entitled to the care and supervision of a bishop, and to the care and supervision of a high council and presidency of a stake, or president of the mission, wherever he may be located. It is those who preside over us that are to direct, and counsel and instruct us. There is no one in this Church but what has some one to care for him and assist him in his ministry, from the President of the Church to the least in the fold. It is the Lord's business to regulate and take care of the Presidency of the Church, and it is the business of the Presidency of the Church to take care of the Church, to preside over the Church, and direct the labors and efforts of those who bear the priesthood. It is not the duty of the members to regulate and set in order those who preside over them. It is not the duty of the twelve apostles to regulate the Presidency of the Church, but the Presidency always directs the labors of the twelve; and the Presidency and the twelve regulate and set in order the affairs of the Church throughout the world, assisted by those who bear the priesthood and have their particular positions and places of labor assigned them; so that there is order and discipline. The Spirit of the Lord guides the affairs of the Church, and the Lord watches over and preserves it. ¶

When President Penrose was referring to his experiences in this Church, I did not think that I had been so long in the Church as he, but I find we have about the same length of time. I joined this Church sixty-five years ago. Of course, I was born of Latter-day Saint parents eight years before that, and have been acquainted with all the leaders of the Church from the beginning, in my boyhood and in my manhood, I have known them. I have known the leaders, not only of the Church, but the leaders of stakes and other departments of the Kingdom. It has been my lot to be with these presidents of stakes, bishops of wards, and leading brethren, and I can say they are all inspired with the same spirit. I want to bear that testimony because I am well acquainted with so many of the brethren of the Church, they have the same spirit that was manifested by the brethren who have spoken in this conference; that spirit dwells in the hearts of all presidents and counselors to presidents, in all high councilors, in all bishops and counselors to bishops, and presidents of quorums. That same spirit dwells in the hearts of all these brethren who assemble here from year to year to take counsel from those who preside over us, and they are seasoned and tried material, reliable and trusty. This body of men sitting on the stand here, the Presidency, the twelve, the presiding seventy, presiding bishopric, and presiding patriarch, you know that we are laboring with you all the time. We are occupied from the beginning of the year until its close, on all occasions when we are needed in the midst of the people, we are with the brethren and counsel with them. When men are needed for official positions, we look for the very choicest and best brethren that we can find; we counsel with the priesthood. The brethren are always willing to help us, they bear their share of responsibility, and it is a rare thing that a mistake is made, we rarely get the wrong man. As a rule the right man is designated by the inspiration of the Lord. We can hardly make a mistake in this regard, for the councils of the stakes of Zion are made up of choice high priests; they are sober, honest, upright and conscientious. We love them, we counsel together, and are in each other's confidence and fellowship, and in the fellowship and confidence of the people. I consider President Smith is a fortunate president of this Church, coming to the conditions that the Church has reached at the present time, so extended and numerous, so many stakes, wards, and missions, and so thoroughly manned with men of integrity. Their hearts are inspired and full of faith, and the Lord recognizes them; every one of them has been called of God; if any one has "shown the white feather" on any occasion, it has not been because he was not the right man for the place, it has been because he has not had the courage and strength to stand up and carry the load. The Lord makes no mistake in calling men; if we fail, it is our own weakness, for the Lord is ready to give strength sufficient to sustain the brethren in the responsibilities that are upon them. It is expected that these men shall be so advised and instructed that they will take care of matters that are entrusted to them, that the shoulders of the Presidency of this Church shall not be broken, that they shall not be overloaded with responsibility and care. The general affairs of the Kingdom keep them busy all the time. It is the duty of these men, such as have been talking to us here, from the missions and from the stakes of Zion, to take care of the affairs in their respective districts, to take care of the army of the priesthood and the associations; and so with the bishops of wards, it is their duty to take care of matters that arise in their wards. ¶

Occasionally we have a little trouble, not very often. When I come to think of it, and look over the field, I notice it is a rare thing that there is a ward in the Church that develops any conditions that are serious, and they don't become chronic. Matters of difficulty and trouble between brethren should be settled at once, taken care of and relief brought immediately to those who are in trouble in the wards, quorums, or auxiliary organizations. Every man who has received responsibility should feel it resting upon him, just as every father and every mother should feel, and every member in this Church, as suggested by Brother Paul in ancient times in instructing his Brother Timothy in regard to the labors of a bishop. He made this important suggestion, that I think possibly has not been comprehended as it should be, that a bishop should be apt to teach. Now, it is not any truer that a bishop should be apt as a teacher than it is that every other Latter-day Saint should be apt as a teacher. Fathers, mothers, brethren and sisters should be teachers. Every member of this Church that has become converted into the fold and into the doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ should convert their neighbors, or labor for that purpose. Hence, I would like to impress upon the Latter-day Saints, in conference assembled, the importance of every member of this Church cultivating an aptitude for teaching, be teachers, and help others, just as the example set by our brother who spoke here yesterday, helping to redeem others. We can't always save them, but we should do something, and generally we will be successful. The more experience we have in that line the more successful we will be, and the more successful we will be in our own lives, for the men who are teachers, and are apt to teach, always get the first good out of the instructions that are given, for it is better that a man teach than that he be taught, as it is better that a man should give than that he should receive. It is better to help others, do something for others, for when that is done it brings the most pleasure, it profits those who perform the mission. I want to so exhort my brethren, that they shall take care of the field that is entrusted to them, that their responsibilities shall be faithfully performed, and I promise them that the Lord will be with them. ¶

I want to bear my testimony, not only in regard to what President Penrose said this morning, for he said exactly the truth, and a great deal of it, and so did President Smith. Every word they spoke and every instruction they gave were words inspired of God. It was the Lord that put those things in the hearts of our brethren to declare to us. The truth presented by our brethren in such great variety was from the Lord. I want it impressed upon our hearts that the men of God, who are placed in the position of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors, have been the only men authorized to speak the Word and Will of God for Israel and the world. ¶

And so it will be while this Church and this earth stand, we have the sure guide for us, the keynote is: Stay with and listen to the man who stands at the head of this Church, who is entrusted by the Lord, and we will make no mistakes, we will not go astray. The Lord will guide him, and he speaks as the Lord Himself would speak in regard to these matters. Let us listen, let our ears be open to hear what the Lord says through His servant. And how grateful we ought to be for this important boon and blessing that He has established in the earth. That is my testimony to you. The mission of the Prophet Joseph was divine, just as divine and sacred as that of the Savior, for it was the Savior who sent him, who selected him, and trained him and knew him from the beginning, and there was no mistake. It was the order and will of God when he was brought forth as the representative of the Lord in these last days. ¶

I pray the Lord to bless you, my brethren, and sisters, and to bless all Israel, and to pour out His spirit upon us, that we may take care of the responsibilities that rest upon us individually, as well as in quorums and in associations and stakes of Zion, that all may prosper and be blessed together, brethren and sisters, in their official as well as in their private capacities, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶